Following a bodyweight exercise routine is undoubtably the best way to get in great shape in the shortest period of time. In a moment I’m going to outline a simple routine that anyone can do anywhere. But first I want to explain why it is so effective in the first place.
When most people want to get in shape and get buff, they often take up weightlifting (to put on muscle) and start running in some form for cardio. When I wanted to get in shape, this is what I did as well. I actually bought one of those weight lifting benches you see in the back of the Sears Catalog (is the Sears catalog still around, or Sears for that matter?) and started lifting diligently. I also started running around the fitness track close to where I lived. Later I graduated to Gold’s Gym, where I used a variety of machines and different cardio devices. I don’t think I considered performing any kind of a bodyweight exercise routine at this point. I just didn’t know any better.
My faith in what I was doing (as far as exercises are concerned) was shaken on several occasions, but two instances really stand out. At one point I took up Judo for a time. I really liked it, but I was continually getting hurt. If the weightlifting was so good for me, why was this happening? If I was truly strong, I didn’t think it should happen at all.
Another time I had my faith shaken in the value of weight training was when I took a Yoga class. (In fairness, yoga is really one long bodyweight exercise routine. However, what I’m going to show you is much easier and quicker. Stay tuned). Some of the poses, although they looked easy, were anything but. I mean, you are supposed to hold a triangle pose for a minute. I thought I would be able to do this easily as my legs were strong from the weight lifting, right? How wrong I was. I could barely hold the pose for 10 seconds, never mind 60. What was going on?
Here’s what I eventually figured out. When you perform “man made” exercises like weight lifting, you are really not getting the workout you could. I think this makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. Natural selection ensures “survival of the fittest”. Animals that do things to stay strong and healthy will live on and procreate, whereas animals that don’t, won’t. This ensures then that just by doing things with our own bodyweight, like the animals in nature, will ensure that we are at our maximum potential. We evolved doing things with our own bodyweight, NOT lifting weights. Haven’t you ever wondered why a Gorilla is 6 to 20 times stronger than a man? He doesn’t lift weights.
When you follow a bodyweight exercise routine, you are mimicking the exercises we used to get all day in nature in a condensed form. I’m convinced this works your muscles at a much deeper. It also forces you to think about what you are doing to a much greater degree than weight lifting. This creates a stronger neurological connection between your mind and body. THis is also a key. For maximize fitness, it is vital that you focus YOUR MIND as well on what you are doing.
Still skeptical? In that case, try the following bodyweight exercise routine which utilizes two exercises, hindu pushups and hindu squats. These exercises come from India where they were practiced by Indian Wrestlers to acquire incredible strength and stamina. At first you may have difficulty doing 5 reps of either exercise. Don’t let this worry you. Just do what you can, and then try and do 1 more. A good goal is to work towards 50 hindu pushups and 100 hindu squats. This may sound like a lot, and it is for the average person. However, Indian wrestlers were known to do 250 hindu pushups and 500 hindu squats (and more, according to legend) on a daily basis. With these kinds of exercises, the sky is really the limit.
Here’s how you do them:
Hindu Pushups
1. To get into the ready position to perform a Hindu Pushup, start in the up position of a regular pushup with your feet spread wider than shoulder width.
2. Walk your hands backwards so that your butt is in the air, your arms and legs are straight, and you are looking back through your legs. From the side, your body should resemble an inverted V
3. Start bending your elbows so that your body comes forward. Your hips will come down towards the floor. Before your head hits the floor, however, start to arch your spine so that you are looking towards the ceiling. Straighten your arms.
4. You should exhale as you are looking at the ceiling
5. Keep your arms straight and push your butt back to the starting position while inhaling.
Hindu Squats
1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended out from your chest parallel to the floor.
2. Breathe deeply, filling your lungs as you clench your fists and pull them towards your chest.
3. Keeping your back as straight as possible, lower your body by bending your knees. As you lower your body, you should extend your arms downward as well, behind your back if possible. Start to exhale the air from you lungs.
4. Toward the bottom of the movement, you should come up on your toes, keeping as straight a spine as possible.
5. Straighten your legs by pushing off your toes and swinging your arms forward. As you rise, press your heels to the floor and raise your arms to chest level, parallel to the floor.
Try doing this bodyweight exercise routine for a couple of weeks steadily. I’m sure you’ll be surprised at the progress you’ll me and how fast you’ll do it. Good luck!